The Lion of Allah

Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t the story of a lion owned by Allah even though Allah is the creator of all things living or dead. This is the story of a great warrior and companion of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Hazrat Hamza (Ra) was a mighty brave warrior. He was honored by the title of the “lion of Allah” and his Prophet for his incomparable bravery. Hamza was skilled in wrestling, archery and swordsmanship. He was fond of hunting, and he is described as “the strongest man of the Quraish, and the most unyielding”. He married thrice and had six children. After accepting Islam, Hamza (Ra) dedicated himself to the cause of the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) and Islam. He remained like a shadow with the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) during different crises. When the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) was preaching Islam along side other Muslims, their security rested upon Hamza (Ra). Hazrat Hamza (Ra) earned name and fame for his excellent bravery in the battle of Badr.

Al-Hamza was born in 570 AD., the year of the Elephant. He was our prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) foster brother, to a woman named Thwaibah who suckled them. Al-Hamza was brave and strong. He accepted Islam two years after the prophet commenced the mission of preaching Islam. His conversion brought more joy to the Muslim ummah and great sadness to the unbelievers because his bravery was compared to non. Before Al-Hamza accepted Islam, some Muslims where practicing Islam in seclusion because they where scared of being prosecuted by the Quraish. But when they heard about his acceptance the ummah became strong and the Quraish became afraid and had a thousand apprehensions about them.

Al-Hamza, once asked the prophet to show him the angel Jibreel “in his true form”. Muhammad (S.A.W) told Hamza that he would not be able to see him. Hamza retorted that he would see the angel, so the Rasul told him to sit where he was. They claimed that Jibreel descended before them and Hamza saw angel Jibreel’s feet and that they were like emeralds before falling down unconscious.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent Hamza on his first raid against Quraish, where he led the expedition composed of thirty riders to the coast in Juhayna territory, to seize a merchant-caravan returning from Syria. Hamza met Abu Jahl at the head of the caravan with three hundred riders at the seashore. Majdi ibn Amr al-Juhani intervened between them, “for he was at peace with both parties,” and the two parties separated without any fighting.

In the battle of Uhud, Hamza (Ra) was one of the targets of the infidels, because many Quraish heroes were killed by Hamza (Ra) in the battle of Badr. As a result, at one stage of the battle, an Abyssinian slave by the name of Wahshi Ibn Harb with a spear attacked him. After the battle the Rasul consoled Al-Hamza’s sister Safiyah and said: “Be cheerful! Jibreel told me that Hamza has been regarded as the Lion of Allah and the Lion of His Apostle in the Heavens!”. Uhud Mount stands as evidence for al-Hamza’s bravery, the Master of the Martyrs, and the polytheists’ savageness. May Allah (S.W.T) be pleased with him.